After nearly two weeks off, the Philadelphia Union returned to action on Saturday night with plenty still on the line. Fresh off clinching a playoff berth in their Aug. 30 win over FC Cincinnati, the Union headed north to face the Vancouver Whitecaps — a side also firmly in the Supporters’ Shield race. Philadelphia entered the weekend atop the league table, but Vancouver, with home-field advantage and playoff seeding at stake, were eager to close the gap.
Despite entering Saturday leading the league, Philadelphia started off on the wrong foot, ultimately falling 6-0.
Early on, Vancouver tested the Union defense when Thomas Müller broke free in the box and struck a right-footed effort toward goal in the fourth minute, only to be denied by a strong save by Andrew Rick.
Just four minutes after his early chance, Müller found himself in the referee’s book. The Vancouver forward was shown a yellow card in the eighth minute following an argument over a foul call, a sign of the Whitecaps’ growing frustration in the opening stages.
Vancouver nearly capitalized on a golden chance in the 15th minute, breaking out on a two-on-one after a corner. Mathías Laborda set up Tristan Blackmon right in front of goal, but the defender’s right-footed effort from close range sailed just wide of the left post.
Seconds after squandering the chance to put the Whitecaps ahead, Blackmon went into the referee’s book. The defender was shown a yellow card for a foul on Philadelphia striker Mikael Uhre, halting the Union’s counterattack in the 16th minute.
Vancouver, though, broke through just moments later in the 18th as Sebastian Berhalter’s corner found Mathías Laborda, who rose above the Union defense and powered a header into the back of the net to give the Whitecaps a 1–0 lead.
A free-kick opportunity for the blue and gold outside of the box gave Philadelphia a chance to equalize. Unfortunately for the Union, the shot taken by Milan Iloski sailed over the net.
Vancouver doubled its lead in the 24th minute when Emmanuel Sabbi found space in the center of the box and fired a left-footed shot past Rick, making it 2–0 and putting Philadelphia on the back foot.
Vancouver extended their lead before halftime. A handball by Jesus Bueno in the box gave Thomas Müller a penalty, which he calmly converted to score on his 36th birthday, putting the Whitecaps up 3–0 in the first half.
Philadelphia showed some life late in the half as a cross from Alejandro Bedoya found the foot of Uhre, cutting the lead to two in the 40th minute. However, Bedoya was caught offside, taking away a much-needed goal for the Union.
Union coach Bradley Carnell decided he’d seen enough, calling a triple-substitution in stoppage time. Bedoya, Bueno and Uhre came off in exchange for Kai Wagner, Tai Baribo and Danley Jean-Jacques.
The first half came to a close with Vancouver in commanding fashion, leading 4–0, including two goals from Müller. The Union looked to regroup during halftime, while also keeping their focus on Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal in Nashville.
Right out of the half, Jovan Lukic found a perfect opening in the box but lofted his shot over Yohei Takaoka, a missed opportunity for the Union to cut into Vancouver’s lead.
Vancouver continued their dominance in the second half, with Sabbi adding his second of the match in the 61st minute. The forward cut in from the right side of the box and fired a left-footed shot past Rick to make it 5–0.
Substitute Rayan Elloumi made an immediate impact in his MLS debut, scoring his first career goal in the 80th minute to put Vancouver up 6–0 and cap a dominant performance over the Union.
Müller headed a ball in at the 88th to complete the hat trick, putting a seven-spot on the Philadelphia Union.
Vancouver’s dominance was evident throughout, scoring four times in the first half and adding two more in the second to run away with a 6–0 victory over the first-place Union. Philadelphia now turns its attention to Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal in Nashville, looking to regroup after a humbling defeat.
